Paranormal Romance with a bit of sparkle, "Spell Kissed" by Kari Thomas

Kari Thomas is an author of Paranormal Romance.  Her newest work SPELL-KISSED is available from Black Lyon Publishing. 

What is the name of your latest book?  And how did you come up with the title?


Spell-Kissed was Released July 15, 2010. The title fits perfectly in with the situation the heroine and hero find themselves in.


What is this book about?  And what genre is this book in?


Briana is a witch entrusted with the security of the "Sphere of Life Tree."  When it's stolen she's pushed into a whirlwind of chaos while trying to locate it. The hero, Hunter, is a burned out Detective who comes home to visit his mom and brother and gets pulled into the mystery --most unwillingly. Hunter doesnt believe in magic or witches and thinks Briana is either a con or a bit crazy. It's under the Paranormal Romance genre, but also is Contemporary and has alot of humor. Briana's spells are affected by her emotions; the spells go awry in the most unexpected ways. So, imagine what happens when Hunter appears in her life and all her hormones go crazy. Spell disaster! 




Who is/are the main characters?  And why did you choose them?


Briana is the heroine, a witch.  Hunter, the hero, is a Detective. Secondary characters are Hunter's brother Sloan, and another witch Kassidy. I chose the secondary characters to balance the h/h. The humor needed sidekicks!




What is the coolest or best part about your book?  (Any Favorite scenes, the world-building etc..


It's a very fast paced story ---events keep happening and it doesnt give the h/h time to think straight half the time! One of my favorite scenes is when Briana and Hunter first meet. I can't give that away ---it would spoil the funny moment! The world building was easy. The first half of the book is in the modern world, and then Briana accidentally transport them into a parallel world. 


Do you have a favorite character in the book?  If so, why?


I can't chose! LOL! They all four great! 


Is this book part of a series?  If so? What can we expect in future books? 


Not a series, although a lot of readers have asked for Sloan and Kassidy's story now too. Hmmm....! 


If not?  Are you considering expanding it?


I have so MANY other book ideas already thought out, I dont know at this point when I'll get the chance to work on another possible book for Spell-Kissed. But I might be doing a Short/Novella for them....!

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your latest book?


Nope. I love it just the way it turned out. I'm really lucky that when I write, my characters take over the story and it plays out just the way it should. 


Did you learn anything from writing your book and what was it?


That humor is hard to get across on the written page! I had to go back and re-write several scenes to make sure it came across the way I wanted.


Do you have a publisher?  And if so, why did you choose them? 


I have four: Black Lyon, Samhain, Bookstrand-Siren, and Eternal Press. I researched each one before submitting and liked what I saw. I'm very lucky to be with each one of them --they're great. 


If you had to choose, which writer would you consider a mentor?


Christine Feehan. I love her books. She can bring characters to amazing life. And her plots, as well as her scenes/scenery are all well researched. But most of all, the emotions in her books are wonderfully real. I feel lucky if I can do half as good!


What books are you reading now?  


Day of the Dragon by Rebecca York. My latest submissions (still pending acceptance!) has a dragon shapeshifter as the hero. I love reading about different shapeshifters.


What are the current writing projects that you are working on?


I just submitted a Paranormal Romance with a dragon shapeshifter. I'm now working on a very different shapeshifter story --and it will be a bit more erotic.


Do you write full time?  If not, do you hope to do so one day?


I'm the Caregiver for my dad, so I divide my time with the writing and taking care of him. My sister is now helping out, so I just might be getting more writing time in.....!


Do you recall how your interest in writing originated?


My mom was a writer. She wrote a book that won a local contest and was Serialized in the North Fort Myers, Florida Newspaper for seventeen weeks. She taught me to read and write before I started school. And the fact that I have an over-active imagination helps too!


Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?


The idea that I really should PLOT and not write as a Pantser. Sometimes it would help me when I get stuck at certain points!


Do you have any advice for other writers seeking to get published for the first time?


Never give up. If you really want to write, then do it. Dont think about the obstacles or the nay-sayers or the rejections. Just keep writing. You dont want to look back one day and say: "I wish I had tried."


Please do visit my site:  www.authorkari.com 
I also have several FREE reads available and you can request them by sending me an email:  authorkari@yahoo.com




SPELL KISSED by Kari Thomas
Publisher: Black Lyon Publishing, www.blacklyonpublishing.com
Date published: July 2010
ISBN: 978-1-934912-28-7
Paranormal Romance
PRINT and E-book